Fear wasn't new to Turlough. In fact, he spent the majority of his wary life trying to escape it. Although, he had been distinctly unsuccessful at it since boarding the TARDIS. Nearly every place he had been to in that wheezing machine had stank of fear and danger. But recently, Turlough had found the scent less pervasive, less pungent. He had wondered if perhaps this was because the Doctor's own strength and kindness in the face of evil was starting to cancel it out. It was a nice thought at the very least. But right now, there was no protection. No reassurance or comfort against the waves of fear that rolled off of him as he crouched, paralysed long after Nyssa had been dragged away. At this very moment, the emptiness of the hut seemed far more preferable to the battleground outside.

I wonder if I could just stay here forever? Turlough thought.

Of course not! Snapped something else.

Turlough shook it away in irritation. He would stay here as long as he wanted and no imaginary voice would compel him to do otherwise. He shifted slowly into a more comfortable position, all the while keeping his gaze fixed on the hut opening. He very well might have stayed there forever… but the universe just didn't seem to be on his side today.

Something stirred on the street. Something small, and wary, and humanoid. Slowly, ever so slowly, a little human girl poked her head out of the hut across the street. She scanned the empty road with agonizing slowness, her eyes wide with fear. Turlough blinked fiercely, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Much to his disappointment, he wasn't. Having looked at the street up and down, the girl ducked her head back into the hut and disappeared from sight. Turlough gaped at the now blank doorway.

I could just ignore her. I have no obligation to help. He reasoned, his stomach not so much doing somersaults as, performing an entire circus act.

"Just leave it!" he whispered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut as if the whole predicament would go away if he couldn't see it. "It's none of my business!" Even as he attempted to talk himself out of it, Turlough's thoughts cast back to the image of Nyssa being dragged from that hut. The same hut. Was that why she had been there? She was protecting the strange child?

No no just walk away!

Turlough's shoulders slumped in defeat.

()

The thugs wrenched the Doctor and Nyssa to their feet. The Doctor held himself stiffly, determined not to be defeated by this endless violence. Akesh lead the way out of the hut, followed by the rest of his men and his two prisoners being shoved along. The Doctor looked at Nyssa as she walked alongside him. He was scared. Not for himself, of course. He wasn't overly concerned about his own wellbeing…

"Are you alright?" The Doctor whispered as they were forced through the bloody streets. He studied her bruised and dirtied face, feeling a building surge of guilt at his inability to protect her. "Did they hurt you?"

Nyssa shook her head. "Not badly. What about you?" She looked up at him, the same concern reflected in her face.

"I'm alright." he whispered. And what about the child? He longed to ask. He feared the worst but dared not say such a thing in the presence of these killers.

She looked at him meaningfully. "Everything's alright", she said.

The Doctor felt a wave of relief wash over him as he saw the meaning behind her eyes. The girl was safe. He nodded his understanding. There was a long pause. "I'm… I'm sorry", he murmured ashamedly. "I'm sorry I got you mixed up in all this. I should have made sure you were safe."

Nyssa looked straight ahead as she walking, giving no indication that she heard. "You couldn't have prevented this." she stated, "And I am my own person, Doctor. No one is responsible for me and my safety but I." She looked him full in the face. Within her eyes she held much wisdom. Much pain and sacrifice and joy. A lifetime stood between this Nyssa and the young Nyssa he had known before.

The Doctor didn't know if he felt sad or happy about it. The Nyssa he had known, had come to cherish as a beloved daughter and companion, was gone. Even worse, from his perspective, he had only lost her a few days ago. In her place was this strong woman filled to the brim with life… but much more distant from him. The Doctor felt a pang of… something. He wasn't quite sure what.

He opened his mouth to respond, but he was interrupted as one of the thugs shoved him, urging him to march quicker. He stumbled forward, straight into a corpse lying in the middle of the street. He reeled back, scrambling not to fall over the victim. Several of the thugs laughed as he managed to regain his balance. The Doctor took a deep breath to contain his anger and forced himself to keep walking forward. They had reached the outskirts of the village, he noticed. A little fence separated the last buildings from the endless expanse of the desert.

Pressed together in a tight group were twelve horses, all tied to the fence post. They pawed and shuffled as Akesh and his men approached them. The Doctor and Nyssa were brought to a halt a couple feet away. Nyssa looked on with an expression of confusion. "Doctor, those are earth mammals. How did they get here? We're not on earth, are we?"

The Doctor gave a slight shake of his head. "No we're not. We are on an Earth colony planet. There are thousands spread across the stars" He paused. "Or rather, a Human colony planet. Earth has been gone for a long time. These people probably don't even remember it."

He and Nyssa watched in silence as the men tacked their horses and slung their weapons over their backs. The Doctor wondered briefly if they could make a break for it while their captors were distracted. But three thugs still guarded them, watching them intently. An escape attempt would most likely end with a bullet in the back. He was broken from his line of thought as he watched Akesh kick his horse savagely in the leg for failing to listen. He winced sympathetically as the animal flinched away. Nyssa grimaced as well.

"Bring the najjik here", Akesh barked suddenly. Nyssa couldn't help but gasp in discomfort as a thug snatched her arm and dragged her over.

A spike of fear stabbed through the Doctor's hearts. "What are you doing?" he demanded. He started towards Nyssa, determined not to be separated. Immediately, he was grabbed by two sets of hands. Not caring that it was pointless, the Doctor struggled against them. He strained towards Nyssa as she was brought right before Akesh.

The men yanked the Doctor back, nearly pulling him off his feet. "It's alright, Doctor!" Nyssa shouted. His mind screamed at him to keep fighting, but he forced himself to listen to her soft voice. He stilled himself. His hearts beat against his chest as he watched the thug leader for any signs of danger. If he decided to take a knife to Nyssa now, there was very little he could do to stop it.

Instead, the man pulled out a length of chain. A pair of manacles were attached to the end and he snapped them over Nyssa's wrists. She tried to stay very still, wiping away any sign of emotion or reaction. The Doctor couldn't help but admire her resolve in the face of such treatment. Beneath her mask, he could still see traces of fear. She hid them well.

The Doctor, on the other hand, wore his fear and disgust on his face as the leader held the other end of the chain and mounted his horse. He wrapped it around the horn of the saddle and smiled mockingly back at his prisoner on a leash.

The Doctor was forced into identical cuffs. The man holding his chain mounted and spurred his horse into a walk. The Doctor gritted his teeth in renewed outrage as he and Nyssa were dragged along by their wrists out into the unending sand.